Car coupler



. C. FLANNERY CAR COUPLER Filed March 24, 1938 .June 25, IMU.

W. C. FLNNERY CAR COUPLER Filed Ma'mh 24, lesa 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Patented `une 25, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT fori-Ice 18 Claims.

My invention relates to car coupling devices, well adapted for use upon toy trains, but not necessarily restricted to this use.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for retaining the coupler heads centered with respect to the trucks of the cars, so that the couplers will couple and uncouple on curves.

A further object of the invention is to provide remote control for uncoupling `companion couplers.

A further object of the invention is to provide means Ifor causing the keepers of both couplings to be operated,` for uncoupling, when one keeper is operated.

A furtherobject of the invention is to pro-v vide means to move a track device into the path of travel of a portion of the keeper of the trailing coupling when the corresponding portion of the keeper of the leading coupling has cleared the device.

A further object of the invention is` to provide a signal which is automatically operated as each car passes the uncoupling point.

A further object of the invention is to provide means which is both automatically controlled by the track contact and manually controlled, to project the track trip element, when the companion couplers have reached the selected uncoupling position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupler of the above mentioned character which is simple, cheap to manufacture, strong and durable.

A further object of the invention is to provide couplers which are inter-changeable so that companion couplers will couple and uncouple if cars are reversed.

A further object of the invention is to provide track means to actuate a coupler in the pair of companion couplers, to uncouple, with the traiic` in one direction, regardless of whether thepindividual cars are reversed. i

In the accompanying drawings forming a part oi this application and in which like numerals are employed rto designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is ak plan View of companion couplers and associated elements embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is aside elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1,

i Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of one M ofthe couplers,

Figure 5a is a transverse section taken on line Eli-5a of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a plan view of the track trip and contact and associated elements,

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on line 5 6 6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken on line 1 7 of Figure 3,

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the track trip, signal, and associated circuits and elements, 10 showing the signal active and the trip inactive, and, f

Figure 9 is a similar view showing both the signal and the trip active.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of 15 illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals il] and Il designate rails for a toy train, mounted upon cross ties l2. The rail lll is connected with the positive side of the source of current while a third rail I3 20 is connected'with ythe negative side of the source of current and is mounted upon the cross ties l2 and insulated therefrom. The track is formed in sections, as is customary.

The uncoupling of cars preferably occurs at 25 the center of a track section, and for this purpose a base it is provided, which may be formed of insulating material and which is secured to the rails Il) and Il by `pins i5 or the like. Rigidly secured upon the base It are guard rails I6, hav- 30 ing outer edges Il spaced a given distance from the head of the rail i0. These guard rails also have inclined or curved ends I8, and inner ends I9, which are spaced. Extending between these inner ends is a passage 2, arranged longitudi- 35 `nally ofthe base M.

Extending longitudinally within the passage 20 is a track trip 2l, formed of magnetic material, such as iron, and pivotally supported at its outer end by apivotal joint 22, mounted upon 40 the base Ill. The track trip 2| is adapted to swing verticallyl and it has an upwardly projecting free end portion 2S, the extremity of which 4is preferably rounded, as shown. The trip element 2l has no electrical contact or connection 45 with any of the rails IIJ, I I or I3. The track trip 2l constitutes .the armature of an electro-magnet 24, rigidly supported above it, upon the base I4. When this electro-magnet is energized, the track trip 2l is raised. The electro-magnet may have 50 a winding or windings and is shown as embodying two windings connected in series. Connected with .the end of one winding is a wire 25, electrically connected with a contact plate 26, engaging the rail I3. Connected wit l the end of 5I the other winding is a wire 27, leading to a binding post 28. This binding post has connection with a wire 29 and this wire is connected with a binding post 35, connected with one terminal 3l of a switch 32. The numeral 33 is a coacting terminal and this terminal is connected with a wire 33. A bridge contact element serves to connect the contacts 32 and 33 when the button is pressed, as is obvious. Mounted upon one insulating guard rail i5 is a track contact 35, which is stationary and has connection with a wire 33 .and this wire is connected with a binding post 3l, to which is connected a wire 38, connected with a binding post 33, having connection with a wire 33, in turn connected with the Wire 34, at 4l. A branch wire 52 is also connected with the wire and with one v'terminal of a visual signal 43, such as an electric bulb, the other terminal of which is connected with a wire M, connected with a binding .post 45. An audible signal may be sub-- stituted for `the visual signal if desired. A wire it is connected with the binding post 55 and this wire his connected to the wire 25, as shown at lil.

The numeral 18 designates end trucks of two adjacent cars. Each truck comprises a truck body i3 mounted upon wheels 53. Rigidly mounted upon the truck body e are horizontal draw These draw ,bars extend longitudinally of the trucks and havey their central longitudinal axes coinciding with the central longitudinal axes of thetrucks. The purpose of rigidly mounting the draw bars upon the trucks, in the manner stated,

is lto retain the couplers centered with respect tothe trucks, so that the companion couplers will properly coup-le and uncouple upon curves. Mounted upon eac-h draw bar 5i is a coupler i head V52, the free edge 53 of which is preferably slightly rounded. This head had depending sides Cil i coupler.

53. vThe numeral designates a draw bar rail, rigidly clamped to the draw bar 5l by screws 56 or the like, and the head 52 is mounted upon the draw bar rail and clamped thereto by screws 5l.

The-draw bar rail carries a hook 58 having a down turned bill 59 provided with a cam face 53. The hook also carries a depending spacing bar SLfhaVing an opening or notch 52 at its rear. The hook 53 is arranged at one longitudinal edge of the draw bar rail 55, as shown. Arranged between the sides 5ft of the coupler head is a vertically swinging keeper 53, having an upwardly projecting ,flange or lip 54, having interlocking engagement with the hook of the companion The keeper 53 has sides 55, provided with openings 65, to receive a pivot element or pinll also passing through openings 33 in the depending sides 55. The keeper is provided with a longitudinally extending tail 38, connected with one arm 'i3 of a torsional coil spring lll, mounted upon the pin 5i, and having its opposite arm 'l2 attached to the draw bar rail 55. The function oi the spring is to swing the keeper 53 upwardly and normally to retain it in the upper horizontal. position, which is limited by the lip 'engaging with the ytop wall of the notch 55. Preferably formed integral with one side 35 of the keeper is a keeper operating finger or extension i3, arranged upon the outer side of the hook 5B. The ringer i3 is preferably tapered and serves to enter theY companion coupler and engage the lip 53 of the keeper of the companion coupler. Each keeper has a depending trip extension 'M rigidly secured thereto.

The numeral i5 `designates a truck contact,

rigidly mounted upon the truck body 49 and in electrical connection therewith. This truck contact is arranged to engage with the trac-k contact 35. The trucks and the couplers carried thereby are identical, and when the trucks are both faced in the same direction, as to the right, the hooks 58, iingers i3 and truck contacts "i5 would all assume the same relative position. When two trucks face in opposite directions, as

shown in Figure i, the hook 58 and iingerl of one coupling .head is arranged upon the opposite side of the draw bar rail 55 with respect to the hook 58 and iinger T3 of the companion coupling head, while the truck contact 'l5 will be arranged i yto contact with the track contact 35, but the truck contact 'l5 of the companion truck would be out 'of alignment with this track contact and could not engagetherewith. This is important, as the traffic is regarded as being in one direction only, namely from left to right, Figure 1.

The operation of the apparatus is asfollows: When two cars are brought together,l for the purpose of coupling, since the coupler heads are rigidly mounted upon the trucks, such coupler heads will remain centeredl with respect to their trucks, and hence will be brought intol coupling relation, if the trucks are on a straight or curved section of track. The cam face S3 of each Vcou-` bars5l, rformed ofV rigid insulating material.

pler engages the upstanding lip. 34 of the keeper 63 of the companion coupler, depressing it,.so

that the depending bill will then engage within and behind the lip 5l), which is instantly` shifted upwardly by the spring H The keeper operating nger i3 of each coupler enters the coupler head of the companion coupler and is arranged near and above the lip... It is thus seen that when the trip extension iii of one keeper G3 is swung in a trailing direction with respect to the travel of the coupler, ,that its keeper 63 is depressed, and the finger 713 will depress the keeper of the companion coupler, whereby the two 'couplers willbe uncoupled. g

Assuming that a train embodies an engine and ve cars, and it is desired to uncouple the last car at the point occupied Yby the track trip 2l, .V

then as the first car (the engine not being equipped with the truck contact 15, although it could be so equipped if desired) reaches the track contact 35, the truck 'contact 'i5 will engage with the contact 35, and a circuit will'be closed to automatically cause visual signal or bulb 43 to glow, while the truck contact passes over the trackV contact in engagement therewith. In this closed" circuit current will ow from the positive side of the source of current, through the rail I3, the truck of thel car, truck contact l5, track contact 35', wire' 36, binding post 31, wire 33, binding post 39, wire 5), wire 52, bulb 43, wire 44, wire Q6, point d?, wire 25, contact 2S, and rail I3 back to the'negative side of the source of current. It is thus seen that the visual signal orbulb i3 will flash as each successive car passesk Since there are ve current will now pass from the positive rail I0,

through the truck of the car, truck contact 15, track c-ontact 35, wire 36, binding post 31, wire 38, binding post 39, Wire 40, wire 34, Contact 33, contact 35, contact 3|, binding post 30, wire 23, electro-magnet 24, Wire 25, contact 26 and back to the negative rail I3. The contact rail 35 is so positioned with respect to the track trip 2| and couplers that the depending trip extension 'M of the leading coupler will have passed over and slightly beyond the track trip, before truck contact 'I5 engages track contact 35. As soon as this engagement is effected, the free end 23 of the track trip is projected upwardly and is arranged in the path of travel of the depending trip extension 'M of the trailing coupler. The track contact 35 is of suihcient length to retain the electro-magnet energized and the track trip 2l raised, until and slightly after engagement between the track trip and the trailing trip extension 14. This engagement, with the travel oi the train to the right will swing the keeper 53 of the trailing coupler downwardly and this keeper will swing the keeper of the leading coupler downwardly, thereby uncoupling both couplers. If the train is backed over the trip contact, for the purpose of uncoupling, when again moving forward the button will not be depressed upon backing until the visual signal is had, thus giving the then leading trip extension it time to pass over and beyond the track trip before it is raised,`

Should the button be inadvertently pressed, the trip extension 'M would ride over the raised trip 2l, without derailing the car, due to the vertical play between the truck body and the wheels and the rounded end of thetrack trip It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be .taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim is:

l. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus, companion couplers, each coupler comprising a support, a self-closing keeper mounted upon the support, a hook carried by the support for interlocking engagement with the keeper of the companion coupler, a finger carried by the keeper to engage the keeper of the companion coupling to shift such keeper to the open position, and means to move one keeper to the open position.

2. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus, comprising companion couplers, each coupler comprising a support, a self-closing movable keeper mounted upon the support and having a trip part, a hook mounted upon the support and adapted for inter-locking engagement with the keeper of the companion coupling, means operated upon the movement of the movable keeper to shift the keeper of the companion coupling to the open position, and a track trip movable into the path of travel of the trip part.

3. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus of the character described, `cars having trucks, companion couplers including heads fixedly mounted upon the trucks to remain centered withI relation to the trucks, means for coupling each head to the other head, means actuated by the uncoupling action of one coupler to enect an uncoupling action of the other coupler, means including a track trip to effect an uncoupling action of one coupler, a track circuit including a track contact,

L a contact mounted upon one truck to engage with the track contact and close the track circuit at one point, manually operated means to close the track circuit at a second point and means energized when the track circuit is closed at both points to project the track trip.

4. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus, companion couplers, each coupler comprising a pivoted spring pressed self-closing keeper having a depending trip extension, a hook connected with each coupler to detachably inter-lock with the keeper of the other coupler, means operated by the movement of the keeper of one coupler to swing the keeper of the other coupler downwardly, a track circuit comprising an electromagnetic device, a track trip to be projected into the path of travel of the trip extensions by the electro-magnetic device, a contact traveling with the truck, a track contact connected with the track circuit and so spaced from the track trip that the traveling contact will engage with the track contact after the leading trip extension has passed over and beyond the track trip, the traveling contact and track contact closing the track circuit at one point, and' manually operated means to close the track circuit at another point.

5. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus, companion couplers, each coupler comprising a pivoted spring pressed self-closing keeper having a depending trip extension, a hook connected with each coupler to detachably inter-lock with the keeper of the other coupler, means operated by the movement of the keeper of one coupling to swing the keeper of the other coupling downwardly, a track circuit comprising an electromagnetic device, a track trip to be projected into the path oi travel of the trip extensions by the electro-magnetic device, a contact traveling with the truck, a track contact connected with the track circuit and so spaced from the track trip that the traveling contact will engage with the track contact after the leading trip extension has passed over and beyond the track trip, the traveling contact and track Contact closing the track circuit at one point, manually operated means to close the track circuit at another point, and a signal circuit automatically closed when the traveling contact engages the track contact.

6. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus, companion couplers having tripping parts, a track trip, electrically operated means including a circuit to project the track trip into the path of travel of the tripping parts, and means to close the circuit at one point after one trip part has passed over and beyond the track trip including a vehicle carried contact and a coacting track Contact, and manually operated means to close the circuit at a second point.

7. In coupling and `uncoupling apparatus; a coupler comprising a coupler head, a self-closing movable keeper secured to the coupler head, a finger operated by the movable keeper and adapted to engage the keeper of a companion coupler for shifting the companion coupler keeper to the open position, and a hook connected with the coupler head for interlocking engagement with the companion coupler keeper.

8. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus; a coupler comprising a supporting member, a movable self-closing keeper connected with the supporting member, an element connected with the supporting member for detachable interlocking engagement with a companion coupler keeper, means operated by the movable keeper and adapted for shifting the companion coupler 75.

keeper` to the open position; and means to'movc one keeper to the open position.

9. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus companion couplers, each coupler comprising a support, a movable self-closing keeper carried by the support, a nnger carried by the movable keeper to engage the companion coupler keeper to shift the same to the open position, a hook carried by the support for detachable interlocking engagement with the companion coupler keeper, an extension secured to the keeper; and a trip movable into the path of travel of the selected extension.

10. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus; companion couplers to be connected with cars, each coupler comprising a movable keeper having a trip part, a hook connected With. the cou- A pler for detachable interlocking engagement with the companion coupler keeper, means operated by the opening movement of the keeper toshift the companion coupler keeper to the open position; a track trip; and means to project the track trip into the path of travel of the trip part of the trailing coupler after the leading coupler has passed over and beyond the track trip.

11. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus for cars or the like, companion coupling parts mounted upon the cars and movable with relation to the cars to releasing positions and having tripping parts, means operated by `the movement of each coupling part to the releasing position to shift the companion coupling part to the releasing position, other coupling parts carried by the cars, each of the second named coupling parts carried by one car being arranged for detachable interlocking engagement with the first named coupling part carried by the companion car, a track trip, and means to move the track trip into the path of travel of the tripping parts only after one tripping part has passed over and beyond the track trip.

12. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus for cars or the like, coupling parts mounted upon the' cars and movable with relation to the cars to releasing positions and having trip parts, means operated by 'the movement of each coupler part to the releasing position to shift the other coupling part to the releasing position, a second set of coupling parts carried by the cars, each or" the coupling parts in the second set carried by one car being arranged for detachable interlocking engagement with the rst named coupling part carried by the companion car, a track trip, and means to move the track trip into the path of travel of one tripping part. v

13. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus for cars or the like, coupling parts mounted upon the cars and movable with relation to the cars to releasing positions and having tripping parts,

-means operated by the movement of each coupling part to the releasing position to shift the companion coupling part to the releasing position, a second set of coupling parts carried by the cars, each of the coupling parts of the second set carried by one car being arranged for detachable interlocking engagement with the first named coupling part carried bythe cornpanion car, a track trip to be projected into the path of travel of the tripping parts, a track cir` cuit comprising an electro-magnetic device to move the track trip, a contact traveling with the truck, a track contact connected with the track circuit and so spaced from the track trip that the traveling contact will engage with the track contact after the leading tripping part has passed over and beyond the track trip, the traveling contact and track contact closing the track circuit at one point, manually operated means to close the circuit at another point, and a signal circuit automatically closed when the traveling contact engages the track Contact.

14. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus for cars, a movable self-closing keeper mounted upon one car, a hook mounted upon the companion car for detachable interlocking engagement with the keeper, means mounted upon said companion car and having engagement with the keeper to shift it to the open position, the means separating from the keeper when the cars are uncoupled and separated, and means to operate the first named means.

15. In coupling and uncoupling apparatus for cars, self-closing keepers mounted upon the cars, means to cause one keeper to open Vthe other keeper when one keeper is opened, and a hook mounted upon each car and arranged to engage with the keeper upon the companion car when such keeper is closed.

16. A track, vehicles to travel upon the track, couplers for connecting the vehicles, a circuit including a signal element, vehicle controlled means to close the circuit when the couplers approach a selected uncoupling position, and

manually actuated electrically operated means for uncoupling the couplers when `they reach the uncoupling position, the action of tlie manually actuated means being controlled by the vehicle controlled circuit closing means.

17. In a diminutive railway, a track, a plurality of vehicles to travel upon the track, coupling devices for connecting the vellicles for producing a train, a circuit including a signal element, means controlled by the movement or each vehicle to close the circuit when each vehicle nears a selected uncoupling position whereby signals are produced in succession as the vehicles reach the selected point, and manually operated means to actua-te each coupling device when the coupling device reaches the selected uncoupling position to disconnect the adjacent vehicles, the produced signal aording suicient time for tne operator to actuate the manually operated means.

18. Atrack, a plurality of vehicles to travel on the track, coupling devices to connect the Vehicles for producing a train, a circuit including a signal element, means controlled by each vehicle to close the circuit when each vehicle reaches a selected position so that signals are produced in succession as the vehicles reach the selected position, electrical means adapted to operate each coupling device for disconnecting the adjacent vehicles and including a second circuit, the second circuit being closed at one point When the rst circuit is closed, and a manually actuated device to close the second circuit at another point.

WILLIAM C. FLANNERY. 

